Srinagar: Militants believed to be three in number managed to escape following a fierce gunfight in which a CRPF trooper was killed at Bargam village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday wee hours.

Encounter started between militants and government forces including 55 RR, SOG and CRPF at village Chinar Bagh, Mohalla Takya, Bargam at around 12:30 am gunfight continued for some time during the course of which a paramilitary CRPF trooper namely Mandeep Kumar of 182 bn sustained critical injuries and was evacuated to 92 base hospital but he died on the way to hospital.

As per sources Hizbul Mujahideen Top Militant Zahoor Ahmad Thokar of 173 Territorial Army who joined Hizbul Mujahideen alongwith his service rifle in July last year was also believed to be trapped in the encounter, reports suggest that Militants also snatched AK-47 rifle of CRPF Jawan namely Mandeep Kumar of 182 after Killing him during the Encounter, however snatched of weapon by Militants was not confirmed by police.